St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1887-09-03
SOME FAMOUS oPALS


there are few which have any special
history attached to them. and very few
are heir-looma The few families who
have heir-loOms of any value in this
country are generally people too poor
in other ways to be able to make dis
play Of them. But there are vet few
which have histories worth telling. and
among them is set Of Opals belonging
to Mrs. Leland Stanford. which she
bought Of Bellezza, . Genoesc jeweler.
who was in Philadelphis at the Cen
tennial Exhibition. These jewels were
not publicly displayed. a. Bellezzs had
. superstition about them and would
never put them in any case with other
jewels on account Of their former
history.
They consisted OF pin and pair Of
earrings Of Opals ct round with bril-.
liants. The opal in the pin is over an
inch long and about two-thirds Of an
inch across. being oblong in form.
Those in the earrings were Of the samo
shape. about two-thirds the size Of that
in the broach. They all had exactly tho
same milky blue luster. and down in
the heart Of each burned . fiery red
spot with such . baleful. malevolent
light that it actually frightened the BE-
holder. These stones at an ordinary
distance gave the usual luster of these
jewels. and it was only when looked at
closely that they had that peculiarity.
They were arranged % that they could
be worn as three pendants on . chain
or band Of velvet rs well a. in their
ordinary form. The brilliants around
them were about the size Of small peas
on the broach and large pinheads on
the earringA
They were shown Mrs. Stanford moro
as curiosities than any thing else. but
she was instantly struck with their
beauty and peculiarly and bought
them. paying $4,000 for them. and
laughing at the thought Of any super.
stition regarding opals. although she
heard the story Of these.
The last owner before Mrs. Stanford
OF these opals was the ex-Empress
Eugenia- They had been sent to her
a. present by noble Spanish family
whom she had greatly aided in time Of
their misfortunes. They had been
obliged to pawn these jewels with many
others which the Empress generosity
had enabled them to save, and she re.
ceived them, but never liked to wear
them. and it is said she never did wear
them but once. During the time that
these jewels were in the family of this
Spanish nobleman every misfortune
that could follow one seemed to have
pursued them. until they were almost
reduced to beggary and several OF their
family had died.
The story is that the Spanish noble
man bought them of . widowed friend,
whose bereavement had been the result
of train Of miseries almost unheard Of.
In her youth this. lady had been lady
Of honor to the Empress of Austria,
and when she left that court to be mar.
ried these jewels were given to her BY
the Empress. who had just bought
them Of the last member Of noble old
Hungarian family who was reduced to
this extremity. The jewels hsd been
. bridal gift from her husband and she
had kept them until hunger and desti-
tuition forced her to sell them. Il was
through Baron Janus Won Xanthus that
the Empress of Austria heard Of the
sad case and finally bought the jewels.
Where they came from before this 1 dc
not know.
When the ex-Empress had to fly from
Paris these jewels. with . few others,
were hurriedly gathered by her faith
full friends and attendants. and saw
and admired them at Chiselhurst.
where. owing to some certain circum-
stances. l passed two days and . night;
but I never expected to zee them again.
Bellezza, the jeweler. il An Italian
and enjoys . reputation very enviable
among jewellers Of honesty. and he had
often had dealings with the Empress
while in the zenith Of her power, and
after her sorrow she turned to him - .
medium to dispose Of her jewelry in .
quiet manner, which could not easily
have been done either in London OF
Paris. So Mile. de Larminat and the
Countess Clery made several visits to
Bellezza, taking him the jewels for sale.
and he managed it with caution and
usually good results. But NO one would
buy this set Of jewels. and 20 they were
brought here in hopes OF selling them
to some one who had no superstition on
the subject, and Mrs. Stanford bought
them.
At the same time as the purchase Of
this set Of jewels Mrs. Stanford bought
OF the same jeweler magnificent neck
lace Of diamonds and rubies. for which
she paid nearly $46, 600. and . pin and
earrings made Of pink pearls. Get with
brilliants, representing moss rosebuds.
She gave about 5000 for this set.
which wss intended for . present to
some relative.
Mrs. Stanford has many other jewels.
but none finer. In the necklace arc
one hundred and thirty.6ve stones. Of
which forty-four are rubies.-Olius
Hayper. IN ~ T. Nail and Expresa
How did you enjoy your supper
1t Delmonico's last night?" asked one
lady Of another. IL want to tell you
about it. Icalled for Strawberries and
cream without looking At the menu.
just fancyr' ''Weren't they goodr''
''Yes; they were good enough; but they
only cost twenty-five cents . dish. ]
never felt 20 mortified in all my life."-
" 2. Nail oad Express.
1t il said that philosophers are wise